If you’re a writer—especially for a living—you know how easy it is to fall into writer’s block. In fact, I’ve currently been battling the worst months-long block in my entire writing career. Showing up each morning to write several thoughtful articles for my clients feels, well, nearly impossible sometimes.
It’s almost as if my brain is mush, like I’ve entirely forgotten the English language and have zero sense of creativity left in me. Not the best feeling for someone who relies on their writing to pay the bills. Not to mention, as a fiction author, I barely find the inspiration at the end of a long day writing content.
But while writer’s block is common, it’s also completely temporary. If you’re facing writer’s block or burnout, here’s how to overcome it.
The Driving Force Behind Writer’s Block
Writer’s block is typically the result of burnout, whether of our creativity itself or even of our emotional/mental energy. It’s not always a lack of desire, but rather a lack of energy to create—at least in my case.
For example, I know I should be writing my novel after work or during my free time on the weekends, but sometimes, I just cannot bring myself to do it, even when I want to. When I sit down at my desk, sipping a mug of hot coffee, and open my document, I feel utterly blank.
Thoughts arise like, “I should be writing something I can instantly monetize, like another article for work or something with a quicker reward.” Or, I’ll simply feel frozen and unable to even form words to describe the scenes that are playing out in my head. During these moments, it never helps to force myself to write or fight through the resistance, as this usually only results in poor writing and further frustration.
How to Overcome Writer’s Block
In an article on Psychology Today about writer’s block, Phil Stark, LMFT, proposed a solution called creative crop rotation.
“Creative crop rotation is the idea that in the pursuit of one type of creative endeavor, the creative fields can grow fallow, and by rotating through different creative endeavors we can keep the creative fields fertile,” he explained in his article. “The difficulty is in giving ourselves the freedom to grow different crops.”
Rather than putting yourself in a box, try to channel your creativity and express yourself through other art forms. For example, this can be painting, baking, podcasting, or even drawing. It doesn’t matter if you’re any good at it; it just matters that you direct your attention to an area where you’re not blocked.
Now, I know these are both forms of writing, but hear me out on this: Sometimes, when I do allow myself the time and freedom to write what I want rather than forcing out a certain type of content, I find more inspiration overall. For example, when I’m facing writer’s block in my freelance writing career, I will sometimes draft a few pages of my novel or a free-flowing poem. Then, when I return to work, I’m much more creative and able to produce.
So, really, the solution isn’t to force more content out of yourself. You are not a robot or generative AI, after all. Rather, the goal is to create in some way, shape, or form—so you’re still experiencing that release all artists crave and need.
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